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Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" was the 6th episode of the 5th series of Only Fools And Horses, airing on the 5th October 1986 with a viewing figure of 18.8 million. This episode saw Derek "Del Boy" Trotter get the offer of a lifetime, but will he take it? This was originally intended to be the last episode of the series, as actor David Jason felt 5 series and 1 feature length episode was enough. Del Boy was offered a chance to emigrate to Australia to be a partner in his old friend Jumbo Mills car business. The show's writer John Sullivan had intended for the last scene of this episode to be Del getting on the plane at the airport with Rodney looking on. Originally a spin off series called Hot Rod was planned with Rodney carrying on the business with Mickey Pearce. In the end, David Jason said he was happy to do more episodes of Only Fools And Horses. Sullivan rewrote the last scene where Del said no to Jumbo's offer due to family ties. Synopsis At The Nag's Head, Boycie is having lunch with a man who has an Australian accent. He is Jumbo Mills, who insults Albert Trotter's ability to play the piano. Albert asks Mike Fisher who is the loudmouth Aussie and Mike says Jumbo is no Australian but he used to be a local lad who emigrated years ago. Derek "Del Boy" Trotter comes into the pub and walks up to Boycie, but also recognises his old friend Jumbo Mills. They are pleased to see each other. Del says that Jumbo must be wearing a wig as he used to have curly hair. Del whips it off to win a bet against Boycie. Jumbo says he runs a car cleaning business now, and he is expanding into the car trade and he has an apartment overlooking Sydney Harbour. Rodney Trotter arrives and Jumbo recognises him. Jumbo says he is not naturally bald. Albert reckons that is a hell of a parting and Rodney says he must pay to look bald. Jumbo says it is the result of a nervous disorder and his hair will grow back. He exits to the toilets and puts his wig back on. when he comes back into the pub Rodney jokes that when the doctor said his own hair would grow back he was not kidding. Del and Jumbo meet up that night and walk into the pub. They sit down and chat. Jumbo says England has gone downhill since 1967 when he emigrated. They also talk about how their jellied eel stall shut down and Jumbo decided to emigrate. Jumbo said he is pleased Del gave him £200, and with that, Jumbo built his business empire. Jumbo said even when times were hard he would pay Del back with interest. He offers Del a partnership in his business in Australia. He say to Del that this time next year, he will be a millionaire. Del says in the 1960's they used to row a lot when they run the jellied eel stall. Jumbo says they will still row, but only over who has the most millions. Del then accepts Jumbo's offer. That night, Del comes home drunk and tells Rodney and Albert they will be emigrating as Jumbo has offered him a partnership. Rodney is initially reluctant at first, but soon agrees to go when Del shows him photographs of how beautiful Australia is. Del says they need to go to Australia House and fill in the forms to get a visa. Albert says he is not going as he has spent most of his life sailing round the world and is too old to move on yet again, as he wants to settle where he is and end his days here. Del says he will send Albert money. Del says Rodney will be a car cleaner at first. A week or so later, Jumbo has returned to Australia, and Del gets a letter to say that he has been accepted for an immigration visa. Rodney comes in from the hallway and looks despondent. He says he has been refused an immigration visa, due to his cannabis conviction five years before. Del says that was years ago and he only took one puff. Rodney says that he has a conviction for the illegal use of drugs. Del says he will have to go without Rodney. Del says this is a golden opportunity to fulfill his potential. He does not want to spend all his life selling hookie goods, such as 25 computers that don't work. Del says the moment he steps on the plane to fly to Australia that Rodney will be the sole proprietor of Trotters Independent Traders. Rodney asks what will he trade with. Del says those 25 computers look good at least. Del will give him his black book which contains all the names and addresses of all his female contacts. Rodney asks if that is his future, 25 knackered computers, a rug with a sell by date, and the script to 101 Dalmatians. Del says he has sacrificed a lot for Rodney after their mum died. Rodney says he remembers being an infant stood in the damp graveyard wondering what the hole in the ground was for at their mother Joan's funeral. And everyone wondering what will happen to poor little Rodney. But Rodney had no need to fear as suddenly a vision would appear from the silhouette of the gas works - Del Boy. He will bring him up in the ways of Del Boy. Sell iffy watches from suitcases on street corners and teach him to drive a 3 wheel van while pissed. Del says he did, didn't he? Rodney says that the real opportunity lies here. When the country is in a depression, people come to market traders for bargains, making them richer. Del says he will send Rodney money. Rodney asks Del if he will stay here, and a stubborn Del says this is his big chance. Rodney angrily storms out of the flat in tears. As Del sits back down, a disgusted Albert emerges from the kitchen and says that he heard everything. That night, Del and Albert are watching TV. Rodney is out. Albert says Del needs to take this opportunity as he will regret it and ponder over it wondering what could have been. And that Rodney will soon learn to stand on his own two feet. It could be the best thing for both of them. Del thanks Albert, and then phones Jumbo to say when he will arrive. Del says Rodney won't be coming over due to some snags. Del then says he won't be coming over to Australia either, because family ties are too strong, so the deal is off. He then says goodbye to Jumbo. Del says to Albert he cannot leave him or Rodney. Albert goes to bed. Then, Rodney comes home and says he owes Del an apology for what he said earlier and that his brother has to take this opportunity. Del says it is too late as he told Jumbo the deal is off, and in a way it is because of what Rodney said, that the real opportunity lies here in England. The country in a bad way, money is tight, people come to traders like them for bargains. He says the country is on the eve of a golden age of the black market and him and Rodney will be in there first. Rodney thanks Del and goes to bed happy. Del then secretly laments his lost opportunity for wealth by singing to himself, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", then turns the light off and goes to bed. Cast Main cast *Derek "Del Boy" Trotter - David Jason *Rodney Trotter - Nicholas Lyndhurst *Albert Trotter - Buster Merryfield *Mike Fisher - Kenneth MacDonald *Boycie - John Challis Guest cast *Jumbo Mills - Nick Stringer Previous Episode Video Nasty Next Episode Royal Variety Show Observations *Nick Stringer, who plays Jumbo Mills, had previously appeared five years earlier in the Series 1 episode "Go West Young Man", not as Jumbo, but rather as a naïve Australian who buys a faulty car from Del with no brakes, and later smashes it into the back of Boycie's car. *This was originally planned to have been the final Only Fools and Horses episode with Del leaving to go to Australia after David Jason stated his intention to leave the show to John Sullivan at a dinner. The last scene was supposed to be of Del getting onto the plane to fly to Australia with a sad Rodney looking on. The exit of Del would've resulted in a planned spin-off entitled Hot-Rod with Rodney and Mickey Pearce taking over Trotters Independent Traders, as well as feature all the other regular OFAH cast members, and an option of Del returning at a later date. However, David Jason ultimately changed his mind and decided to stay on, and Sullivan rewrote the ending so that Del turns down Jumbo's offer. *This was the first instance in which Del almost became a millionaire. Jumbo said that thanks to Del giving him £200 to emigrate, that helped him set up a business and become a millionaire later on. Jumbo flew to England to offer Del a partnership. Del agreed to this and got drunk on champagne to celebrate. However, his ageing uncle Albert did not want to keep starting afresh in his mid 60's. Also, due to a minor drugs conviction, Rodney was refused an immigration visa. Del still wanted to go but Rodney tried to talk him out of it. So in the end, Del realised he had too much loyalty to his family so said no to Jumbo's offer. Rodney had always used to lambaste Del for sticking his nose into his life but was always happy to have Del around to look after him when it suited. Blunders *Del applies for a visa to go to Australia pretty quickly, it is a matter of days from him saying they will go to Australia House and fill in the forms, and Del getting his Visa. Visa's take about 6 months. *When Del sits down with Rodney and Albert to explain why they're going to Australia, Rodney asks, "And Jumbo wants us to help run his new car business?" Yet there was nothing previously in the episode at all which suggests that Rodney should know that Jumbo is going into the motor trade. *Del says Jumbo had curly hair, yet in Rock & Chips, Jumbo had straight hair. *Albert says he was in Australia in 1929 and then Del comments that they were still transporting convicts there in that year, but the last convicts were sent to Australia from Britain in 1868, 61 years earlier. Locations seen *The Nags Head (main bar) *The Trotters flat (living room) Category:Only Fools And Horses Episodes. Category:1986 episodes.